The 5 Most Haunted Hotels in Southern Minnesota

It's that time of year! Time to stay the night in a haunted hotel and get spooked! If that's your definition of a good time of course. Regardless, haunted hotels are still fascinating, even if you only want to read about them and never go anywhere near them.

That's why I put together this list of haunted hotels in Southern Minnesota! You can read all about them or you could also choose to stay the night and see if any of these ghost stories I found are true! I put together this list from least to most haunted.

The Kahler Hotel - Rochester

The Kahler Hotel was the original location of the Mayo Clinic. Once the Mayo moved, it became The Kahler Hotel. Many people believe that patients haunt the hotel, there are dramatic changes in temperature, and sometimes there are weird smells. Some people also believe that a woman named Hellen Voorhees haunts the hotel. She went to the Mayo for a regular checkup, bought things from the gift shop and when she left the hospital no one saw her ever again. Some guests claim they've seen her ghost in the elevator. (Source: Haunted Rooms)

Sweet's Hotel - LeRoy

One guest has reported seeing a rocking chair move on its own, others report lights turning on and off on their own and a couple who was staying the night saw a woman looking in the window in the background of one of their photos. One of the housekeepers once had pillows she was piling on her luggage rack thrown at her when no one else was in the room. It is believed that there are 3 main ghosts at this hotel though: a doctor named Joseph who used to care for people when the hotel was a brothel, he usually stays in the basement, and Frank Sweet, the son of the hotel's original owner, and Frank's wife Matilda. They both can be seen throughout the hotel. (Source: Star Tribune)

Calumet Historic Hotel - Pipestone

This hotel used to be primarily a place to stay for people who came to town on the train. There are two ghosts who wander the halls: a woman in a red dress and a well-dressed man in 1880's appropriate attire. There are also two specific rooms that are haunted. Room 207 has, according to front desk employees, a ghost that will call asking for room service. When they go up to the room no one is there. In Room 308 lights and electronics turn on and off on their own, things move, and you can hear weird noises. (Sources: Haunted Rooms & Only in Your State)

Mrs. B's Bed and Breakfast - Lanesboro

Buffalo Bill and Doc Powell allegedly stayed at Mrs. B's and guests claim to have seen their ghosts wandering the hotel. There's also a woman in white that haunts the dining room or main lobby. Guests say they hear her sighing and crying. And then we have the most haunted places of the hotel: Room 1 (the River Song Room) and Room 5 (the Garden Room). In both rooms guests have reported furniture moving, lights turning on and off, dark shadowy figures sitting on the ends of beds, and doors opening and closing. In the Garden Room specifically, guests say you can see a child playing with a ball and an unknown person singing and laughing. CREEPY! (Source: Haunted Rooms)

St. James Hotel - Red Wing

This one is actually kind of scary and also quite haunted according to these stories, which is why it's rounding out the list! First, guests are warned that they may encounter a hostile spirit during their stay. It's been reported that this ghost, who wanders around the entire hotel, slams doors and attacks guests. There's also a woman in a white dress that you can see in the hotel as well as a man in work overalls. The man actually died when he fell to his death while doing work in the hotel. Other haunted activity include babies crying, whispering, and areas of the hotel that are colder than others. It is claimed that the third floor is the most haunted. Oh, and you can't forget to mention that employees who have been in the basement of the hotel claim to see faces looking back at them. (Sources: Haunted Rooms & Only in Your State)